How much will catering cost at your Italian wedding?
Catering is so much more than food and one of the top 3 most important decisions you will make in your Italian wedding planning. Their service impacts the entire wedding day, from your guest experience to the timings and how the day is remembered. And let’s face it, food is probably one of the main reasons you have decided to host your wedding in Italy, so get it right!
Catering proposals come in all shapes and sizes. There are some things that tend to come as standard with caterers and some things that don’t. When selecting your supplier and the elements which make up their quote, you need to be able to compare services like for like to know what you’re getting, for what cost and at what quality.
We have designed an incredibly easy-to-use solution for this - our Catering Comparison tool simply requires you to pop in the figures quoted to allow you a clear way to compare.
- Ceremony chairs
- Aperitif drinks
- Antipasto or canapés
- Mains (3 courses – entre, primo, secondo / primi x 2, secondo)
- Wedding cake
- Wine
It is important to understand that the quote from your caterer will include standard options (unless you have selected anything more complex from the start). Have a good read of their terms and conditions and know what exactly they are quoting for to avoid confusion over what service is going to be delivered. As with anything, you may decide that you want something extra, and for this you should expect an additional fee.
When considering the decor items a caterer might provide - ceremony chairs, bar, furniture and mis en place, it is normal practice to only quote for basic items. For example basic chairs for the ceremony, a table with table cloth for the bar. Should you wish for specific styled chairs or a larger counter bar then you will need to consult their brochure and put aside extra budget for this. The same applies for lounge furniture and umbrellas for the aperitif.
Free flowing drinks at a wedding are always going to keep guests happy, but most caterers do not include the welcome drink in a standard quote. Here you must decide whether you wish to serve alcohol or keep it soft. Sticking to drink, some companies will have a maximum limit and anything over this will be additionally charged. Big drinkers in your crew? Always check what this is and the cost of extra bottles - you don’t want to run out, but equally you might not enjoy receiving a ‘bonus’ invoice the next morning!
Coming onto food, we love an antipasto station - what is more Italian than a spread of cold meats and cheeses for guests to enjoy. But this style of food tends to come at an extra charge. Want to build your wedding cake in-front of your guests? This too will be extra for your budget. As too will midnight snacks and Prosecco, should you wish for it to be poured for the speeches which is not considered standard practice at an Italian wedding.
A caterer will usually quote for a 7 hours service; if you wish for them to stay longer to manage the bar until the end of the night then this will need to be discussed. Transport fees will also be added to your invoice and as this is relatively new (since covid), it is always worth checking if you can’t see this on there.
- Choice of furniture
- Welcome drink
- Additional drinks throughout the day
- Antipasto station
- Bar
- Furniture and mis en place
- Bar counter
- Transport
- Additional hours of service
We have pretty much hammered you with ‘additions and extras’, which quite frankly all sounds a bit overwhelming for your budget; but this knowledge is vital in helping you work out whether an Italian wedding is affordable for you.
NB costs are based on 80 guests
Think of us as your wedding coaches - cheering you on from the sidelines and prepping you to an inch of your wedding life ahead of your big day! Most importantly we want you to have the best wedding celebration with the budget available to you.
When it comes to catering we have several resources you need for your pre-wedding training. Our catering Youtube video is packed full of key advice when it comes to choosing your Italian wedding meal.
And in our Shop you will find the Catering Comparison tool where you can fairly compare different catering quotes. It really is that simple!
